Until You're Better
by lovergirl85
Summary: Part 1. Damian gets sick for the first time and Dick tries to take care of him.


"Grayson." Dick looked up in surprise from the file he was reading. Damian rarely sought him out, but right now, Dick was not complaining. It was a boring read, anyway, even if necessary. Damian stood in the doorway of the study, his customary scowl in place, but something seemed off. Dick studied the boy, trying to place it. It wasn't until Damian spoke again that he realized what it was.

"Sobeting's wrong wib be," Damian said and then gave a loud sniff. "I hab dis awbul headache and by throat is clode up and by node won't stob running." Damian was sick and Dick was willing to bet this was the first time he'd ever been sick. Dick would've grinned if it weren't for the fact that the kid was actually looking a little scared.

"You sound lousy," he agreed. "C'mere." Damian moved further into the room, walking around the desk and standing beside Dick, who shifted to face him. He reached up and placed his wrist on Damian's forehead. It was little warm, nothing to be overly concerned about, Dick didn't think. He'd have Alfred double check in a little bit though. He placed two fingers on Damian's throat, ignoring the boy's slight flinch, and found that his lymph nodes were swollen.

"I think you might have the flue, baby bird," Dick finally diagnosed. "I knew I should've taken you to get your flu shots."

"Da flu?" Damian repeated, his eyes going wide. "I can't hab da flu! I don' get sick!"

"Only ordinary people get sick, right?" Dick asked drily, picking up Damian over his protests and carrying him upstairs.

"'Ow am I duppoded to do patrol if I'm sick?" Damian demanded. Dick snorted.

"You're not doing patrol tonight since you're sick," he told him.

"'N who's going to watch your back ib I'm not dere?" Damian began wriggling in Dick's arms. "I wab to see Alfred. He'll hab a cure." Dick readjusted his grip on Damian, rolling his eyes.

"I'll call Timmy," Dick said. "I'm sure he can handle things for one night."

"I woulbn't be to sure abou' dat," Damian muttered darkly.

"Hey, play nice," Dick frowned. Damian crossed his arms and glowered darkly at the wall as they walked. Dick carried him into his room and set him down. "'Kay, baby bird. Get changed and get in bed."

"Id's not eben dark out yet!" Damian protested. Dick glowered. He would be the first to admit he gave Damian a lot of leeway, but Damian was not going to win this one.

"Damian, you are going to get changed, get in bed and stay there," Dick growled. "And you will stay there until I say you can get up. If you don't, you will be off patrol for the next week and you won't have access to the Batcave." Damian gaped at him like a fish. He was almost tempted to push Grayson on this one, but one look at his face told Damian the man was deadly serious. He meekly headed over to his dresser. Dick nodded, satisfied and headed for the door.

"I'll be up with some water and medicine," he told him, cheerful demeanor back almost instantly. "And I'll get Alfred to make you some soup." Damian stared as his mentor left the room with a bounce almost in his step. If he didn't know any better, he'd say Grayson was almost _enjoying_ this. Then he shook his head. No, Grayson wasn't enjoying this. Grayson was simply being his usual stupid, cheerful self. He just enjoyed taking care of Damian, that was all. Damian stopped and reran that thought through his head

Enjoyed taking care of…Damian swore as he yanked open the bottom drawer and pulled out a green pajama set. Grayson _was_ enjoying this, dammit! He considered the windows in his room for a moment before deciding that Grayson would most likely have had the foresight to have them locked automatically just so Damian wouldn't try to run off so that he couldn't be taken care of. Damian scowled at the thought as he pulled the flannel shirt over his head, followed swiftly by the bottoms. He wouldn't be surprised if Grayson had "forgotten" to take him to get his flu shots on purpose.

His mental grumblings were interrupted by a knock on the door. A moment later, it opened and Dick peeked in before stepping into the room. He held a small paper cup in one hand and a glass of water in the other.

"Alfred said to take both of them, and drink a bit of water. He'll be up in a bit with the soup," Dick told him. He watched carefully as Damian swallowed the pills, grimacing as he did so before swallowing a mouthful of water. Dick cleared his throat pointedly.

"Alfred also said you might try to simply palm the pills. Try again." Damian ground his teeth and dutifully swallowed the offending capsules, taking another drink. Dick only smiled at him and pulled the covers back so that Damian could climb into bed. Damian muttered something unsavory under his breath. Dick was willing to place money and the Batmobile that it had something to do with Dick shoving said pills up his ass. Damian could get so predictable sometimes.

Damian moved so that he could lay propped up against his pillows and crossed his arms, glaring at Dick, who seemed perfectly content to sit beside his bed, smiling at him.

"Grayson," Damian said through gritted teeth. "Dere id absolutely _no_ need for you to be here-"

"I know," Dick interrupted cheerfully.

"Den why are you still 'ere?" He demanded. Dick's smile turned from damnably cheerful to simply indulgent. Damian wanted to punch him.

"Because I care about you, Damian," Dick told him. "And because I care about you, I'll watch over you until you're better." Damian stared at him.

"You 'ound like a sappy old bool, Grayson." Dick's smile returned to damnably cheerful.

"Aww, I love you, too, Damian!" Damian threw the book on his bedside table at him.


End file.
